Walsall lose third game in a row at Banks's Stadium as MK Dons win 3-0

THE alarm bells might not be ringing yet but the finger will soon be heading for the button unless a solution can be found to the slump which has seen three defeats in the last three games at the Banks’s Stadium.

THE alarm bells might not be ringing yet but the finger will soon be heading for the button unless a solution can be found to the slump which has seen three defeats in the last three games at the Banks’s Stadium.

Latest to fill their boots were MK Dons who, in keeping with a day of maintaining runs, notched up their fifth league win on the trot to take them to second in League One.

Walsall remain 10th but from being five points off the play-offs with a game in hand, the Saddlers are now eight away with the game in hand, against Swindon, looming at the Banks’s next week. I suspect confidence would be higher had the game involved a trip to Wiltshire.

Striker Jabo Ibehre pulled out an hour before kick-off with a sore knee and centre-back Stephen Roberts joined him on sick parade with an infection, which was enough to convince manager Jimmy Mullen to stick with the 4-5-1 system he had employed so successfully in the 2-0 win at Colchester last week.

Same script but a different audience – the U’s are in the relegation zone while the Dons are battling for a second promotion in two years.

The opener did have a touch of fortune about it, which must make Mullen wonder which of the football gods he has upset this week. Manny Smith, in for Roberts, was second best for a header and the ball fell to former Wolves striker Jemal Johnson on the left edge of the area.

Rhys Weston was about to introduce himself but the full-back slipped at the vital moment and the American found himself with the half-a-yard of space he needed to curl the ball into the top corner.

The Saddlers’ woes increased when a groggy Stephen Hughes was helped off after lengthy treatment for whiplash after a disgraceful mid-air challenge from Ali Gerba. The Dons also lost their skipper, Dean Lewington, who failed to run off an earlier knock and headed off to hospital for an ankle X-ray.

The home side showed much more spirit and enterprise after the break without much penetration and when the Dons broke on 59 minutes there was little chance of the Saddlers finding a way back.

A quick clearance found Johnson, he cut in from the right and played a ball over Anthony Gerrard with the outside of his right foot. Striker Gerba beat keeper Clayton Ince to the ball to head into the empty net just before being clattered with both combatants needing treatment and eventual replacement 10 minutes later.

The final goal was little more than academic. Alan Navarro’s 30-yard drive came back off the inside of substitute keeper Rene Gilmartin’s post and former Saddlers trainee Mark Wright was there to turn the knife.